Acid rap

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Acid rap, or American trip hop, is a subgenre of abstract hip hop in which lyrics are possibly cryptic, abstract, trippy, spacey, dark, and sometimes drug or science fiction-related, with eerie, spaced-out drumbeats and instrumentation. This form of "acid rap" is unrelated to the Bristol-based Trip hop, but shares some similarities.

A pioneer in "acid rap" is the alternative MC Kool Keith, especially as Dr. Octagon on the 1996 album Dr. Octagonecologyst. Dr. Octagon's "Blue Flowers" is often thought of as defining the acid rap genre. Del the Funkee Homosapien and his super-group Deltron 3030 are also known to make "acid rap" from time to time, while the alternative rap group The Pharcyde are credited with "acid rap" tracks in their 1992 acclaimed album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. DJ's and producers that commonly create acid rap beats include Dan the Automator, DJ Q-Bert, DJ Shadow, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, and occasionally Kid Koala and Mix Master Mike. Edan's Beauty and the Beat also has some acid rap elements, as does much of Cage Kennylz's and El-P's work. Many rap artist who sample space rock or psychedelic music can also be considered acid rap.

The underground rapper Esham specializes in a genre of rap he has dubbed "acid rap." He even collaborated with Dr. Octagon on his 2001 release, Tongues. Esham's self-proclaimed acid rap shares many similarities with the genre commonly known as acid rap, such as eerie and dark subject manner and trippy beats. Esham's genre of "acid rap" also fits comfortably in the hardcore hip hop and horrorcore categories, as it often involves eerie mind-bending lyrics about sex, drugs, paranoia, murder, gore, and the occult.

Bristol acid rap is also another name for the genre of hip hop music/electronica more commonly known as Bristol Trip hop.